1st KOSB War Diary for 1st June 1940.

"Rear party clear of defensive line, and majority of Bn. embarked at LA PANNE" (*Potenially DE PANNE - east of Dunkirk)

The Battalion had been in Belgium (Louvain) since May 11th, withdrew to Brussels and then over the Escaut canal.

David must have missed the boat at Dunkirk and was heading cross-country to embark elsewhere. He made a journey of over 150 miles before he died.

1st KOSB embarkation point near Dunkirk - to David's final resting place in Mauquenchy near Dieppe, Approx 240KM by road. Courtesy of Google Maps.

There's a link to a story from the People's War site that shows how difficult it may have been to get passage on a ship out of Dunkirk

*The soldier in the story is potentially John Sisterson, one of the signatures on the 50 Franc note signed a week before D-Day.

RESEARCH INTO ACTIONS IN JUNE 1940

In order to try and find out why Pvt Arnold ended up in Mauquenchy, we've tried to track other units and other War Records from that time.

We found that one of David's comrades was captured on the 8th of June 1940 near Forges in France.

POW Questionnaire - Pvt George Flanders Johnson, 3189613

We've also looked at the War graves from the same area and time.

The closest graveyard is Sigy-en-Bray (7.5KM away) which contains CWGC graves for 9 British Servicemen. Most of them are classed as 'Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps' which is a group of men who were above the normal age range for 'fighting men'. These men mostly died the day before David Arnold - 8th June - so he may have been part of a 'rag tag' group who were heading North to the coast at Dieppe, or to St Valery where the Scottish Divisions had landed.

https://www.ww2cemeteries.com/sigy-en-bray-communal-cemetery.htm

You can see on the map that Forges, Mauquenchy and Sigy-en-Bray are not too far apart. Opinion is, in the case of the Pioneers at least, that they were told to make for St Nazaire on the East Coast. David and Pvt Johnson were potentially heading in the same direction.

Google maps showing proximity of Forges, Sigy and Mauquenchy.

Casualty Information

Casualty List No. 420 dated 24th Jan 1941. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 287 as Missing.

Casualty List No. 287 dated 21st Aug 1940. Original source records Date of Casualty as 10/05/1940-16/06/1940.

Mauquenchy village, present day - with the Cemetery marked. Courtesy of Google Maps

David's grave stone stands in the village cemetery. Photo Courtesy of CWGC

David's medal card was sent to Mrs C Lithgow (his step-father's surname) in Lockerbie. (We believe this is 'Catherine/Katherine - his mother).

The address still exists in Templand, North of Lockerbie

If you have any information on this soldier, please do get in touch using our contact form.